without the flattish flood-channel and groove, were more than 3000 feet
from the sky-line down, and were covered either with dense thornbush or
huge black boulders; this deep trough-like shape caused the sun's rays to
converge as into a focus, making the surface so hot that the soles of the
feet of the Makololo became blistered. Around, and up and down, the
party clambered among these heated blocks, at a pace not exceeding a mile
an hour; the strain upon the muscles in jumping from crag to boulder, and
wriggling round projections, took an enormous deal out of them, and they
were often glad to cower in the shadow formed by one rock overhanging and
resting on another; the shelter induced the peculiarly strong and
overpowering inclination to sleep, which too much sun sometimes causes.
This sleep is curative of what may be incipient sunstroke: in its first
gentle touches, it caused the dream to flit over the boiling brain, that
they had become lunatics and had been sworn in as members of the Alpine
club; and then it became so heavy that it made them feel as if a portion
of existence had been cut out from their lives. The sun is excessively
hot, and feels sharp in Africa; but, probably from the greater dryness of
the atmosphere, we never heard of a single case of sunstroke, so common
in India. The Makololo told Dr. Livingstone they "always thought he had
a heart, but now they believed he had none," and tried to persuade Dr.
Kirk to return, on the ground that it must be evident that, in attempting
to go where no living foot could tread, his leader had given
unmistakeable signs of having gone mad. All their efforts of persuasion,
however, were lost upon Dr. Kirk, as he had not yet learned their
language, and his leader, knowing his companion to be equally anxious
with himself to solve the problem of the navigableness of Kebrabasa, was
not at pains to enlighten him. At one part a bare mountain spur barred
the way, and had to be surmounted by a perilous and circuitous route,
along which the crags were so hot that it was scarcely possible for the
hand to hold on long enough to ensure safety in the passage; and had the